It was a freezing cold winter day and the streets were covered with snow and ice. Rabbi Meir Yechiel Halshtok, the Ostrovtzer Rebbe was walking with his Gabbai to attend a Bris Milah, where the Rebbe was going to be the Sandak.
As they were walking they passed by a woman selling bagels. The woman, dressed in thin clothing, freezing cold, her fingers turning blue, was holding her basket of fresh bagels and calling out “fresh warm bagels for a penny, fresh warm bagels for a penny.”
Few people were walking in the street in such weather and those that were, covered their faces with their coats and scarves and their hands tucked in their pockets. No one was really looking to get frozen to buy a bagel.
The Rebbe came attended the Bris Mila, had something small to eat and headed back home.
On the way back they passed the same woman selling bagels still chanting the same tune, “fresh warm bagels for a penny, fresh warm bagels for a penny.”
The Gabbai asked the Rebbe, “Rebbe, how is it that the woman isn’t fed up of repeating the same words over and over again?”
The Rebbe replied, “on our way to the Bris there were nineteen bagels, now there is only sixteen.”
“Three pennies in an hour,” said the Gabbai with pity. “But that wasn’t my question. I asked the Rebbe how she manages to repeat the same statement over and over again without getting fed up?”
“I answered you,” replied the Rebbe. “She isn’t repeating the same sentence. Each time it’s on the next bagel she is about to sell. When we came it was on bagel nineteen and now on bagel sixteen”
This story has an amazing message and connection to our Parsha.
Moshe Rabbeinu davened to Hashem to appoint a new leader for Klal Yisrael after his passing. Moshe had in mind his children but Hashem held differently.
Hashem told Moshe that Yehoshua would be the next leader of Klal Yisrael.
Why?
Because he never left Moshe’s tent. He was always there trying to learn something. He may not have been the smartest but he was diligent. He didn’t want to miss a word that Moshe said. Another word of Torah, another Halacha, whatever it may be, Yehoshua was always there to listen.
However, Chazal added another point. Chazal compare Yehoshua to the Passuk in Mishlei (27-18), He who guards his figs will eat the fruits.”
Chazal tell us that figs are different than other fruits. Most fruits ripen at the same time. But figs are different. Every day different figs are ready to eat. A person who wants to enjoy ripe fresh figs has to be on the guard as every day different figs will be ready.
Similarly, Torah, every time a person studies Torah he will have a new understanding, a new question, a new answer.
Yehoshua excelled in this trait of diligence and made sure to be next to Moshe every moment of the day because who knows at which moment Moshe may say some words of Torah that he hadn’t said before and Yehoshua didn’t want to miss out.
Most of us can understand that the more we study Torah and the more we revise on our learning we will broaden our knowledge and clarify our understanding. It may be a challenge to put it into practice but we can understand that it is true. And history has proved over and over again that the great leaders of Klal Yisrael and the great Talmidei Chachamim didn’t succeed because they were geniuses. Yes a good brain may have helped along. But their success was their diligence, their Hasmada.
But the story has another message for us.
We daven every day, three times a day, day in day out, the same prayers and the same words, day after day. For many of us this is a great challenge, saying the same words over and over again. So much so that many of us find davening monotonous and we have lost the touch of Tefillah.
One of the reasons is because we think that we are repeating the same prayers every day. But in reality that isn’t true.
On Sunday we are davening for good health, parnassa, nachas we need on Sunday. But just because we were davened for everything on Sunday, we still need to pray for everything we need on Monday. Every day we need to be healthy, to be guarded and saved from any tragedies, to have a smooth and relaxed day at home, at work and in Shul. And not just us, what about our parents, spouses and our children. Do we need to look so far to see how much we really need to pray for?! And not just to say the words as fast as we can or to pray subconsciously but to beg, cry and beseech!!! Do we really have nothing to cry for every single day?
Yes, maybe the words are the same but the prayers are so different. Just like the bagels.
Let us finish with this story to sharpen the message.
Rabbi Avraham Yehoshu Heshel, the Apter Rav supported a few Talmidei Chachamim that studied in his Shul. All their expenses were covered by the Apter Rav who gave them their monthly stipend every month.
Reb Zvi, one of the supported scholars was davening Shemone Esrei. In the Beracha of Shema Koleinu he always added the extra prayer for Parnassa, as printed in many Siddurim. But this time as he reached Shema Koleinu a thought crossed his mind. Surely this prayer for Parnassa was made for businessmen and people who were working that need success in their work and their business. But me, my monthly livelihood is stable and set from the Apter Rav. Why do I need to say this Tefilah? So Reb Zvi skipped the prayer.
A few days later on Erev Rosh Chodesh the Rebbe sat in his room and the Talmidei Chachamim came in one by one to receive their monthly money. Suddenly the Apter Rav’s money finished just as he reached the turn to pay Reb Zvi.
The Apter Rav stood up and went to bring some more money. He continued to give out money to the person after Reb Zvi.
Reb Zvi was so embarrassed. Why had the Rebbe left him out.
The Rebbe finished giving out the money and stood up to go back into his inner study. Reb Zvi plucked up courage and said, “Rebbe, I never received any money.”
The Rebbe looked at him sharply and told him to follow him into his study.
Reb Zvi was shaking. What had he done wrong to deserve such treatment?
“Take a seat Reb Zvi,” the Rebbe said softly.
Now Reb Zvi was confused. First a sharp look, now a soft warm welcome.
“I called you in to explain my dilemma,” said the Rebbe. “It has never happened that I ran out of money whilst giving out money to the Talmidei Chachamim in Shul. Today was the first time. I have never forgotten to pay someone. Today was the first time. Maybe you can help me and enlighten me why it happened?”
Reb Zvi was baffled. How should he know?
“Please Reb Zvi, try and think what may have happened that blocked the pipeline of your Parnassa?”
And then he remembered. The thought that went through his mind a few days earlier during davening and the prayer he decided to skip.
